10 things you need to know about Arsenal signing Samir Nasri

Arsenal today signed French starlet Samir Nasri for £xm. Here's your essential need-to-know Top 10…

1) Samir was born in Marseilles on June 26th, 1987.

2) He joined local side Olympic Marseilles aged just nine years-old, where he earned the nickname 'le Petit Prince'.

3) Samir broke into the Marseilles first team in the 2004/05 season, starting 13 times - and making a further 11 substitute appearances - while still only aged 17.

4) He also displayed some precocious ball skills. Witness this amazing dribble during a game against Lyon from that season:

5) In May 2007 Samir beat Manchester United target Karim Benzema to the honour of being named French Ligue 1's Young Player Of The Year. He was also voted the Marseilles fans' player of the season.

6) Samir has represented France at every level, from the Under-16s upwards. In 2004 he scored the only goal of the UEFA Under-17 Championship final, in a team that also included Benzema.

7) He made his full international debut for France against Austria on March 15th, 2007, and bagged his first international goal in the Euro 2008 qualifier against Georgia on June 6th of the same year.

8) In September 2007 he was hospitalised with a meningitis-like virus.

9) Aged just 20, Samir Nasri was the youngest member of France's Euro 2008 squad. He made two appearances at the finals, coming on a sub in the matches against Italy and

10) Samir's Algerian heritage - not to mention his prodigious talent - has led to him consistently being labelled 'the new Zinedine Zidane'. To see why, watch this YouTube compilation of Nasri's best moments: